Picking up the Pieces
by Izzu
Summary: Kamen Rider Blade: Post Series. Picking up the pieces, what was left for those left behind once one of them had left for the sake of everyone?


az: Because it kept bothering me if I did not type it. So I just type it. Feel free to point out if there's any misses.

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Picking up the Pieces

Chapter 1: Left behind

Written by izzu alias honou-no-izumi

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"It's over. It's finally over..." Kotarou gasped aloud as everyone settled down.

Shiori glanced towards Kotarou as she sighed. Sure, the threats with the Dark Roaches were now gone and the world is saved from destruction. But at what price? Humanity had been saved but in return Kenzaki loses—lost his own humanity. For some reason, she had a hard time accepting it.

She turned her attention back to the computer screen but there was nothing for her to see. The two Joker signals had disappeared, meaning that both of them had stopped fighting. Or that, they might not be there anymore. Shiori sighed again. It was frustrating. It was definite fact that everything was fine now and the world was safe again, but it still bothered her that there was still no news about Kenzaki. Or Hajime. Or Tachibana-san. Come to think, Tachibana-san had not called them yet since the Dark Roaches disappeared.

Shiori's eyes shifted as Chief Karasuma silently sip on his glass of water. It was clear that the elder man was still devastated, knowing that Kenzaki had chosen to end the Battle Fight this way. It was still hard to accept, that Kenzaki would—do so much to save everyone without sacrificing anyone. Even Aikawa Hajime was not excluded.

As this thought came to mind, Shiori immediately turned her attention towards Haruka-san and Amane-chan. Both of them had fallen asleep on the couch. A part of her wondered how they would react if they knew how they had been indirectly involved in this whole situation. Without knowing, how their existence had greatly influenced how everything had happened. Had Aikawa Hajime not met them, if he never met Kenzaki... if everyone had never been as close as they had now; things would have had been different.

RING!

Shiori jumped as she grabbed the phone hurriedly. Chief Karasuma and Kotarou turned their glance towards her as she recognized the voice from the other side.

"Tachibana-san? Are you alright—?" she started to say as Tachibana cut her off. Shiori started nodding as Tachibana continued talking to her.

"Eh? Why—oh, okay. We'll be there in a bit."

Shiori put down the phone as Kotarou rose.

"Did something happen—"

She shook her head as she noticed that Haruka-san had woken up.

"Just something that Tachibana-san wanted us to help. Shirai-kun... you won't mind driving a bit today, would you?"

"If Tachibana needed help, I might as well—"

"Ah, no... Chief! I think... it's better for you to stay." said Shiori suddenly as Kotarou immediately understood. He had noticed her taking a glance at Amane after all.

Kotarou grabbed his car keys as he nodded at the older man.

"Yes Chief Karasuma. We'll handle this. If you don't mind... can you please watch over my sister and Amane-chan for a while..."

Karasuma snickered at them. "Of course..."

"Is something wrong Kotarou?" Haruka-san suddenly asked as Kotarou placed his hands on her shoulders.

"It's nothing big... don't worry." he said as he and Shiori rushed out towards the blue SUV...

xxx

The blue SUV stopped as they reached the clearing where Tachibana and Mutsuki had parked their bikes. Both of them got out as they looked around.

"We're here... but where's—" Kotarou started to say as Shiori took out her phone.

"Oi! Over here!"

Both of them looked uphill as Mutsuki waved at them. Shiori and Kotarou walked up to him, noticing that he was alone.

"Tachibana-san was with Aikawa-san. Follow me—"

"Wait, Mutsuki... what really happened? Is Kenzaki here? Why—"

"It's better if you see it by yourselves. Hirose-san, did you bring what Tachibana-san had asked for?"

Shiori nodded her head as she showed him the first aid box. Mutsuki nodded as he led them towards their destination. As they passed through the woods, Shiori could not help feeling that the scenery was a bit familiar. It was not until they have reached the place, did she realized that this had been the same place where they had first found Kenzaki who had been tending to Hajime's injuries at one time. The only thing that was different was that the old shack was gone, just a wreckage indicating what used to have been there.

"What... happened?" Shiori only manage to say before noticing Tachibana, as well as Aikawa Hajime sitting among the rubbles. The three of them hurried over Tachibana's side as Shiori stared at him meaningfully.

"Tachibana-san, what happened?" she said again as the man did not answer. Kotarou glanced around him frantically before giving him the same look of questioning.

"Where's Kenzaki?"

His question went unanswered as Shiori and Kotarou glanced at each other. Mutsuki, who had been standing behind then had remained silent as well. Kotarou looked away as his eyes fell on Hajime. The guy appeared to not notice their presence despite their voices had been so loud.

"Gone."

Finally Tachibana spoke as Shiori and Kotarou turned their glances towards him. He let out a long sigh.

"When I arrived, he was already gone. Kenzaki, that is. All that I found was Hajime, staring over the cliff; looking so at lost.", he explained before cocking his head towards Hajime. He shrugged as he glanced down towards his hands as he still held Kenzaki's Blay Rouser and cards. Shiori and Kotarou gave a cry as they recognized the object.

"Since then, Hajime had sat over there, staring at nothing and not even minding his surroundings. I guess aside from us, he would be one most devastated over this turn of events. He must have thought Kenzaki would seal him, not saving him instead. Since it's starting to get late, I thought we might as well take him home but there's a problem. That's the reason why we asked you guys to come."

Shiori cast a questioning look at him. "A problem? Why—?"

Tachibana shrugged at her, as if she had just asked a silly question.

"Kanzaki and Hajime... aren't exactly fighting for sport. Both of them had been fighting with their full strength. Or else, how would you think Kenzaki would exceed his limits so much so that he's absorbed all of the Undeads?" said Tachibana as Shiori finally come to an understanding.

Kotarou also seemed to have understood as he exclaimed Amane-chan's name. Of course, Amane and his sister were still at his house. If they saw Hajime's green blood they would have finally found out about what Hajime really was!

Both Shiori and Kotarou walked up towards Hajime as they finally saw his state. Shiori gasped at the state he was in. The blood on his face had all dried up now but some of his injuries and cuts were still openly bleeding. Not something that would not alarm anyone who would see it. Even if Haruka-san or Amane-chan could disregard the fact that Hajime was an undead, they would still be devastated at the amount of damage he was in.

"Shirai-kun... could you fetch some water at the creak downhill?" she said slowly as Kotarou went off at once. Mutsuki also left with him as he called out towards them. Shiori shrugged as she and Tachibana sat beside Hajime.

Tachibana placed a hand on Hajime's shoulder as he jumped.

"Hajime... you okay?" he asked as Hajime did not reply.

"Let's take off you coat, okay..." said Shiori as well as she gasped at seeing how bad Hajime's injuries truly were.

"This is bad..." she exclaimed as she opened the first aid box and started tending to Hajime's injuries. Tachibana also lent a hand out as he helped out to bandage Hajime's injured left shoulders. As both of them silently worked on treating the cuts and bruises that Hajime had, the guy suddenly spoke.

"It's not just me."

Tachibana looked up towards him as Hajime appeared sorrowful. Hajime snickered suddenly.

"Kenzaki... as well. He really wanted me to fight as seriously..."

Shiori turned around as Kotarou and Mutsuki arrived with the bucket of water before turning her attention back to Hajime. The guy had started to stare at nothing again, still looking at lost.

"So this was how it should be, is it? Battle fight would remain at a stalemate... as long as we don't fight. In order to keep it that way, we are forbidden from fighting. Staying near each other is forbidden as well. Really... you were okay at leaving it like that?"

Tachibana bit his lips. Hajime had spoke as if he was speaking to Kenzaki directly, even if the man in question was nowhere in sight. The tone of his voice was also sorrowful, as if he was begging for Kenzaki to answer. He sighed as he carefully tied the last bandage on Hajime's torso before letting Kotarou take over his place to help Shiori clean up the dried blood on his face. He shifted aside as he looked up at him.

"Is that... what Kenzaki said to you before he left?" Tachibana asked as Hajime slowly nodded. Kotarou frowned at him as he asked.

"Did you see where Kenzaki had gone to?" he asked as Shiori slapped him suddenly. Before he could reply anything, Shiori had pulled Hajime up to standing position as he stared at her in surprise.

"Let's go home."

xxx

Kotarou turned the ignition off as Mutsuki and Tachibana parked their bikes beside the porch before turning towards Hajime.

"Remember you. Don't make my sister and Amane-chan worry even more. These few days they have enough of worrying about everyone—"

Shiori hissed at him as all three of them joined the others into the house.

xxx

"Hajime-san!" cried Amane as she immediately jumped onto the man. Noticing that Hajime had not reacted to her as he usually did, the young girl looked up to him puzzled.

"Hajime... san?" asked the young girl again as Shiori pulled her away from Hajime.

"Amane-chan... I think Hajime was a bit tired after everything that had happened today. I think it's better to let him rest. Kotarou, would you mind taking Hajime to Kenzaki's room? Since that room's the only one's empty now..." she said as Amane appeared to be concerned and unconvinced that Kotarou would be nice to Hajime. It surprised her when Kotarou had been less hostile to Hajime than usual as he and the young girl led the still-dazed Hajime upstairs.

Shiori sighed as she exchanged glances with Chief Karasuma, Tachibana-san and Mutsuki.

"It cannot be helped, isn't it? That guy too... is also deeply hurt because of this." said Tachibana-san suddenly much to Haruka-san's confusion.

"So, what should we do now?" Mutsuki asked to no one in particular as everyone went silent, deep in thought about the present situation.


End file.
